Henry Wittenberg

Henry Wittenberg ( born September 18, 1918 in Jersey City, New Jersey; † March 9, 2010 in Somers, New York) was an American wrestler.

Career

Henry Wittenberg learned wrestling in college and at the university. In 1939 he became a U.S. college masters ( NCAA Champion ) in the middleweight division ( freestyle). From 1939 up to the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki Wittenberg did not lose a single battle. Only the Swedish Viking Palm defeated him in the battle for the gold medal. Wittenberg was in 1948 in London Olympic champion in the light heavyweight ( freestyle) become, so that he could get over there to win in Helsinki "only" the silver medal.

In 1950 he participated in the Maccabiah Games and won a gold medal. At the next Maccabiah 1953 he was able to repeat this success.

After his playing days Wittenberg Ringer coach at Yeshiva University in New York and from 1967 until 1979 he trained at the City College of New York the next generation. In 1969, he was also head coach of the U.S. Olympic teams of wrestlers.

International success

(OS = Olympic Games, F = Freestyle, Mi = middleweight, light heavyweight HS = )

National success

Honors

1977 was included Henry Wittenberg in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and in 1979 into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Four years later was admitted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.